“When the Democrat is up 12-points with independent voters and up by 40 points with self-identified moderate voters, that points to a problem in expanding their base for the GOP this election year,” OH Predictive Insights data analyst Noah Rudnick said in a statement.

The margin of error was plus or minus 4.38 percent.

The special election to replace Republican Trent Franks, who resigned in December, was scheduled April 24.

Lesko and Tipirneni easily won their special election primaries in February.